Who do Aces play next in WNBA playoffs? Schedule hinges on Wings-Valkyries winner

Who do Aces play next in WNBA playoffs? Schedule hinges on Wings-Valkyries winner Las Vegas Review-Journal October 2, 2026 - 8:55 am The Las Vegas Aces have secured a place in the WNBA semifinals after clinching their first‑round series against the Indiana Fever 2‑1. A 94‑83 victory on Thursday at Michelob Ultra Arena gave the third‑seeded Aces the series win, with A'ja Wilson contributing 36 points and 10 rebounds, while Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray helped the trio combine for 77 points. Las Vegas will now await the outcome of Friday’s decisive Game 3 between the second‑seeded Golden State Valkyries and the seventh‑seeded Dallas Wings. The Valkyries and Wings entered the contest tied at one apiece after Golden State’s 104‑80 opening‑game triumph and Dallas’s 108‑100 overtime victory on Wednesday. Game 3 is set for 6 p.m. Pacific Time at Golden State’s arena and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The winner of that matchup will determine both the Aces’ semifinal opponent and which team holds home‑court advantage in the best‑of‑five series. The WNBA employs a 2‑2‑1 format: the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, Game 5; the lower seed hosts Games 3 and 4 when a fourth game is required. If the Valkyries prevail, they will retain home‑court edge over the Aces. Under that scenario the schedule would be: - Game 1: Sunday at Golden State - Game 2: Wednesday at Golden State - Game 3: Friday at Las Vegas - *Game 4: Oct. 11 at Las Vegas (if necessary) - *Game 5: Oct. 14 at Golden State (if necessary) Should the Wings win, home‑court advantage flips to Las Vegas. The Aces, as the No. 3 seed, would host Games 1, 2 and a potential Game 5, while Dallas would stage Games 3 and 4 if needed. The schedule would read: - Game 1: Sunday at Las Vegas - Game 2: Wednesday at Las Vegas - Game 3: Friday at Dallas - *Game 4: Oct. 11 at Dallas (if necessary) - *Game 5: Oct. 14 at Las Vegas (if necessary) In either case, the Aces will have little turnaround time before the series opens. Their semifinal berth came after a strong performance from Wilson and solid support from Young and Gray. The other semifinal pairing is already set: the fourth‑seeded Atlanta Dream will face the eighth‑seeded New York Liberty, both teams having swept their first‑round series. Semifinal play begins Sunday, with the victors advancing to a best‑of‑seven WNBA Finals slated to start Oct. 17. *This content was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited by Review‑Journal staff.*